So there I was, plucking up courage to cook the Beef Rendang. However, I knew that the Rendang didn't contain anything in the way of vegetable matter (well, except for shallots and chillis). You know how I'm always keen to get some vegetables into my chaps, so I set out to find a recipe for an accompaniment that would complement the Rendang, whilst ticking off some of the all-important vegetable matter.
I knew the Rendang was likely to be saucy (ooh, matron!), so didn't really want another saucy dish for fear of swamping out the plate. What was required was something like a bhajee - a fairly dry vegetable recipe.
There, on the My Dish website, I found a recipe for Saag Aloo which was attributed to someone called Renu. Thank you, Renu, for providing the perfect accompaniment!
Now you won't be surprised to hear that I deviated from the original recipe somewhat. After all, it'd be unusual if I didn't, hey?
Firstly, I couldn't find any frozen spinach in our local supermarket so bought the biggest bag of fresh spinach it was possible to buy - and wilted it in a dry pan at the beginning of the recipe. To be honest, I think this was probably an improvement on the requirement for frozen spinach, as it wasn't all munched up and indistinguishable. Even after being squeezed out between two plates (my Nanna's preferred method for removing the water from spinach or cabbage) it was still distinguishable as spinach leaves. Plus, it just feels worthier to be using fresh spinach, even if it isn't.
The second deviation from the original, was that I added a chopped onion to the mix. Now I can recall seeing and tasting fried onion in Saag Aloo that I've had from the takeaway and it didn't seem right to not include some. I do appreciate that it may not have been authentic to include the onion, but I was going for "what we like" rather than "authenticity", on this occasion.
I also didn't have any asafoetida or any jaggery, so left the former out and substituted soft brown sugar for the latter. It may have made a huge difference, but we were certainly happy enough with the results, so I think it worked.
The recipe was very acceptably simple to produce and I was perfectly able to conduct the trio of pans (Rendang, Saag Aloo and Rice) without getting all stressed and in a flap.
It was lovely to use the whole spices (mustard seeds and cumin seeds) and toasting them in the pan beforehand almost had me feeling like a proper chef.
One point worth noting is that, regarding the potatoes and because of hubby's hatred of the poor old things, I gave them three minutes in the microwave (with a small amount of water) once I'd diced them. This just softened them down enough that once they went into the pan, they didn't take so long to cook and were at the stage of just beginning to break up by the time they were served. Hubby declared that he wouldn't have wanted the potatoes again, but the spinach was fine. Both he and son & heir cleared their plates though, so not only was this a vote of confidence in the recipe, but I managed to get an unfeasibly huge amount of spinach into the pair of them! Result!
SAAG ALOO (serves 3)
Ingredients :
350g bag of fresh spinach, washed
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 knob of butter
1 onion, chopped fine
3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced finely
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp soft brown sugar or jaggery
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp chopped red chilli
1 tsp ginger paste
a handful of chopped fresh coriander.
Method :
1. Gently heat a large wok, then add the fresh spinach. Allow to wilt without browning and drain the excess water from the pan.
2. Once wilted, place the spinach onto a plate and place another identical plate on top of the spinach. Squeeze the two plates together, effectively squashing all the water from the spinach. Once water has stopped running, set aside.
3. Dry the pan and replace onto a medium heat. Add the mustard and cumin seeds and occasionally toss, to toast them evenly. You'll know when they're done as the cumin will darken, the mustard seeds will pop and the aroma will be fabulous.
4. Add the knob of butter and onions and stir to combine. Cook the onions for 4-5 minutes or until they are softened and just beginning to brown.
5. Add the potatoes and a splash of hot water and stir to combine. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes, so that the potatoes begin to take on a little colour.
6. Add the garlic, turmeric, salt, sugar, ground cumin, ground coriander, chillis and ginger and stir to combine. Allow to cook until the potatoes are tender. You may need to add a little more water to encourage the potatoes to cook, but take care to not swamp the mixture.
7. When the potatoes are done (and not before), add the spinach and fresh coriander and give everything a good stir to ensure the vegetables all have a good coating of spices. Place a lid on the pan to help the vegetables to heat through and serve.
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I usually leave a day or so in between trying out a recipe and blogging about it, but the really good ones get blogged earlier than that because, basically, I can't wait to tell everyone about them!
Such is the situation with this Baked gnocchi dish from Jo Romero's Comfort Bites blog.
You know how some recipes strike you instantly as being so "do-able"? You can see immediately that everyone who will be eating would enjoy the ingredients and the way they have been prepared. The first time I read through the recipe on Jo's blog, I knew straight away that we'd really enjoy eating this dish.
I felt as though I was cheating a bit, buying a jar of pasta sauce. However, I'm glad I did as the jar - a sundried tomato sauce from Dress Italian - was very nice with a depth of flavour that I'd have been hard put to have achieved in a home-made sauce (for the same money - just a pound - that is!).
I also added a ball of mozzarella, diced, to the recipe as I know how much Son & heir enjoys the stringiness of cooked mozzarella and anything that helps him over the fact that there's also spinach in the dish, can't be anything but good.
I have given the recipe below, but please note that I'm very definitely not claiming it as mine - it's simply because I've added the mozzarella, which is where my recipe differs from Jo's.
Even if you've never cooked Gnocchi before, this is a perfect introduction to the little darlings. Flavoursome and rich with the mascarpone balancing the tomato and with the spinach for added texture and flavour, it is truly a lovely thing. The sheer fact that neither hubby nor Son & heir missed their meat (in case you haven't noticed, it doesn't contain any!) is testament to the satisfaction it delivers.
BAKED GNOCCHI WITH TOMATO, SPINACH & MASCARPONE (feeds 4)
Ingredients :
500g pack of potato gnocchi
500g jar of your favourite tomato based pasta sauce
2 handfuls fresh spinach leaves, washed
About 6 tablespoons mascarpone cheese
A mozzarella ball, diced
Handful of Parmesan.
Method :
1. Preheat oven to 180C. Heat a large saucepan of slightly salted water until it boils. When the water is boiling, drop in the gnocchi and cook for around 2 minutes, until they puff up slightly and float to the top.
2. Meanwhile, scatter the washed spinach leaves in the base of a fairly large roasting dish.
3. When the gnocchi are cooked, drain and tip directly onto the spinach in the dish. Mix slightly, so that the spinach begins to wilt in the steam of the cooked gnocchi. But go careful - you don't want to break them up.
4. Tip on the tomato sauce and mix again.
5. With a tablespoon, scoop out dollops of mascarpone and arrange them over the top of the tomato-gnocchi mixture. Sprinkle over the cubed mozzarella and cover with a handful of freshly grated Parmesan and bake for around 30 minutes, until the gnocchi is bubbling and the cheese has melted.
Allow to cool slightly before serving - with a side salad.
Printable version
I have just tweeted (@JennyEatwell) about my lunchtime omelette and how luscious it was.
I was contemplating lunchtime and knew that hubby would be taking care of the leftover Cornish Pasty, son would be taking care of the leftover Jamaican Beef Patty, which left me to get creative.
I knew we'd got some chestnut mushrooms which I no longer have any idea why I bought them, so they needed a home to go to.
Now mushrooms at lunchtime immediately brings the idea of an omelette to the fore, which then reminded me of the salad bag that we started last night for the Mango Salad and which still had some left. Being a bag of mixed leaves, rocket, spinach, watercress and red chard, it was suitable for cooking as well as salad. Finish it off with a flourish of grated cheddar and Bob's your uncle. Lunch!
I apologise, however, for the lack of photographs. I ate it too quickly. *blush* So here, for @madamding, is the recipe. :)
MUSHROOM, MIXED LEAF & CHEESE OMELETTE (feeds 1-2)
Ingredients :
2 eggs
knob of butter, or splash of olive oil
3 chestnut mushrooms, sliced
a big handful of the mixed leaves (rocket, spinach, watercress & red chard)
a handful of grated cheddar
sea salt & freshly ground pepper
Method :
1. Place the butter or olive oil (whichever you're using) in a frying pan and put on a medium heat until the butter is bubbling or the oil is warmed through.
2. Add the mushrooms and saute for 2-3 minutes until softened.
3. Break the eggs into a cup and whisk lightly with a fork, then add to the mushrooms. Turn the pan, to ensure the eggs cover the base of the pan evenly.
4. Add the leaves, spreading them evenly over the mix.
5. Sprinkle with the cheese and allow to cook for a minute or so.
6. Tip the pan until you can flip one half over its other half and cook on for long enough until the cheese is obviously melted.
7. Turn out onto a warmed plate and season with salt & pepper.
Serve.
Can be served with bread and butter to feed 2 people, but I found with the two eggs that it was more than enough on its own for one. Extra-lovely with a glass of orange juice or a cup of coffee. :)
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